Palmer in trouble over treason claims

QUEENSLAND environmental campaigner Drew Hutton says he is "seriously considering" suing mining magnate Clive Palmer after the multi-billionaire accused him of colluding with the US Central Intelligence Agency to destroy Australia's coal industry.

Mr Palmer yesterday accused the Australian Greens and Queensland environmental campaigners of "treason" in conspiring with US powers, namely the CIA via the Rockefeller Foundation, to delay and disrupt the expansion of the nation's coal industry.

He furthered his claims by saying Mr Hutton and Greens leader Bob Brown were collaborating with foreign multinationals.

The mining magnate later stepped back from some of these remarks, saying Mr Brown was a patriot and most environmentalists were well-meaning.

But he stood by his claim that Mr Hutton, Lock the Gate Alliance president and a central figure in the Queensland Greens, was linked to the CIA via his involvement in the preparation of a Greenpeace strategy.